Airplane



LQEiNENG AIRPLANE Filed Dec. 27, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet m ENTOR A'ITORN Y AIRPLANE Filed Dec. 27, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 O C'IIL'II 11:21:11!

A TTORNE Y May 31, 1932. LOENlNG 1,860,545

AIRPLANE Filed Dec. 2'7, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INZENTOR BY 2 g ATTORNEY May 31, 1932. G. LOENING 4 AIRPLANE Filed Dec. 27, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented .GROVER LOENING, NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO GROVER LOE'NING AIR CRAFT COMPANY, INC., OF GARDEN CITY, LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK AIRPLANE Application filed December 27, 1930. Serial No. 505,023.

This invention relates to heavier-than-air flying machines of the flying boat type, including amphibian machines. An object of the invention is to provide a simple and advantageous plan of construction and organization for a machine of this character. The machine has an underslung hull constructed as such. To this hull, and

to the center wing and engine section above the hull, there is connected aseparate structure which provides a completely enclosed cabin turret extending from hull to center section, uniting these by a light and simple organization of structural members serving totally for the underslun support of the hull and for the overhead support of the center section. A streamline enclosure of sheet metal and glass built around the structural elements forms'the wall of the turret.

- In the forward part of the cabin is the pilots place, which it is possible to set high enough and far forward enough so that the pilot has a clear visibility over the bow of the hull of about 16 or more, for making landings or for observation.

Behind the pilots place there is a place for a passenger or machine-gunner, and there is suflieient head-room in this part of the cabin beneath the rear portion of the center section for a machine-gun mount and for the gunner to stand above the rear seat. When the machine is equipped for fighting or defense, a

- shuttered opening is provided in the back of the turret through which the machine-gun can eXten the arrangement being such that gun-fire can be directed rearward, sideways,

upward and downward.

Other features of the invention will become I apparent as the specification proceeds or will be evident to those skilled in the art.

In the accompanying drawings forming part hereof:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a mach ne embodying the invention, the usual bracing between the wings and the usual wing pontoons being omitted for simplicity. Two positions of the pilot and of the passenger are indicated in broken lines. A back opening is shown unshuttered and a machine-gun on its stand;

top wing is removed, and the lower wing is indicated in broken lines; a

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the portion of the airplane shown in Fig. 2; i

Fig. 4 is a sectionalview taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, looking at the instrumentboard in its novel location; and Fig. 5 is a somewhat schematic perspective View with the enclosure of the turret, the wings at the near side of the machine, the center section of the top wing and the engine all omitted to show the frame which forms the engine bed and the center wing section support. This view also shows a machinegiin mount. -The ends of the hull are broken 0 The underslung hull is marked 2, and 3 is the empennage mounted" on its tail portion.

The top wing of the machine is designated as a Whole by the reference numeral 4. It is customary to make such wings of a center panel 5 and two main sections 6, which latter can be folded or removed. The lower wing is marked 7.

The engine 8 is associated with the center section to drive a tractor propeller 9.- An engine of the radial type disposed in or be,- neath the center section is contemplated, but with suitable modification of the structure a higher position of the engine or a different type of engine may be employed.

The engine.8 is held in a ring 10 forming part of a separately fastened connecting structure which is designated as a whole by the reference character 11 in Fig. 5. In the preferred embodiment of this skeleton structure there are two laterally spaced and rearwardly inclined forward members 12, pinned at their lower ends to the hull and at their ,upper ends connected to the engine ring 10. Two laterally spaced, rearwardly inclined and inwardly convergent rear members 13 are likewise connected to the hull and extendupward to the center section of the wing. Top members 14 joined with the engine ring extend rearward to the tops of the members 15 and 16 extend from the upper and lower ends of the members 13 to the upper ends of the members 12. Tension wires 17 are indicated and additional members may be employed. Naturally, the precise constitution of the framework may be varied. The top of the structure is joined to or incorporated in the center panel of the top wing.

The tripod of a machine-gun mount 18 is secured to the deck or to other support on the hull behind the structure which has been described. Fig. 5 also illustrates the cockpit opening 19 into the hull.

The sheet metal and glass enclosure 20 of the cabin turret is connected to the structural members and extends from the hull to the center section. The turret thus formed is of streamline section and though short is of sufficient length beneath the wing to accommodate a pilot and at least one other. The sloping rearportion of the turret, which is shown extending behind the framework and behind the co'ckpit, takes in the machinegun stand 18.

The pilots seat 21 is disposed well forward in the hull beneath the forward part of the turret in such position in relation to the wing and engine that the pilot has a wide range of vision through the windows 22 in the rounded front and sides of the enclosure. Because of the complete protection the pilots place can be high enough so that when he straightens up he has a line of vision downward over the bow of 1601 more below the horizontal, as indicated by the dot and dash line a in Fig. 1. The advantage of this will be evident.

By casting his eyes upward from his rest position he can view the instrument-board 23, which in accordance with one of the features of the invention is placed in an inclined position in the upper forward part of the turret, below the engine.

The rear seat 24 is set deeper in the hull than the pilots seat, and the after portion of the cabin is high enough so that the occupant can leave this seat and stand upon a suitable folding step 25, or on the arm rests, to operate a machine-gun 26 when the latter is applied to the mount 18.- An opening 27 in the back of the turret enclosure allows the machine-gun'to project and to be turned in all directions. When not in use, this opening is closed by a shutter 28.

A door 29 with glass panes is provided inone side of the after part of the turret, and part of the pilots windows 22 may be constituted as a door for emergency escape. Windows 30 are let into the sides of the hull for vision of the occupant of the rear seat.

The location of the wheels of a retractable landing gear when the latter is lowered is indicated at 31 in Fig. '1.

While the preferred embodiment has been described in detail, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A machine of the flying-boat type having an underslung hull and an overhead wing center-section and engine support said machine having a separately fastened structure section to form a short streamline cabin turret, there being a pilots place in the forward part of the cabin, arplace for another occupant behind the pilots place, and a. machine-" gun mount accommodated within the after part of the turret, together with sufficient room for said occupant to operate the machine gun, and there being an opening in the back of the enclosure through which the gun can be fired.

2. In a machine of the character described the connecting structure between the hull and center-section, comprising a pair of laterally spaced, rearwardly inclined forward members, a pair of rearwardly inclined, upwardly convergent rear members, top members converging from the front to the back of the structure, diagonal members interbracingthe 'front and rear parts of the structure at the sides, and an engine support included in the structure, the whole constituted to provide for a cabin turret.

3. A machine of the flying-boat type having an underslung hull and an overhead wing center-section and engine support, said machine having a structure servlng total-1y for underslun support of the hull and overhead support 0? the center-section, an enclosure applied to saidstructure and extending from the hull to the center-section to form a short streamline cabin turret, there being agunnerjs place inside the cabin, and a machinen mount in the after part of the cabin, toget er with sufiicient room for the occupant to oper-- ate the machine-gun, and there being an, opening in the back of-the enclosure through which the gun can be fired.

4. In an airplane, an enclosed cabin containing the pilots place, and an instrument board located at an inclination in an upper, forward position in the cabin so that the pilot can view it by glancing upward.

GROVER LOENING. 

